Hammer



(No Model.)

J.. G. RICHARDSON. HAMMER.

No. 464,894. I Patented Dee. 8,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

JULIUS C. RICHARDSON, OF JAMESTOWVN, NE'W YORK.

HAMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,894, dated December8, 1891.

Application filed January 12, 1891- Serial No. 377,444. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Jones C. RICHARDSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jamestowmin the county of Chautauqua and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hammers, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to produce a claw tack-hammer, which,while specially adapted for the driving of tacks and small nails and thedrawing of the same, is also adapted as a combination-tool to a varietyof uses; and it consists of a hammer having a number of novel features,which will be hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a hammer made according tomyinvention in complete form. Fig. 2 is an outer end View of the hammerthat is, as seen from the end opposite the handle. Fig. 3 is a sideview of the hammer-blank before the claw-piece has been secured thereto.Fig. 4 is aview of the claw-piece detached.

The hammer consistsof a metal body formed with the centrally-arrangedsocket portion 1, into which the handle 2 is inserted and secured, thehead portion or shank 3, and the claw-bearing stem or shank 4, thehead-shank and the claw-stem extending in opposite directions from thecentral socket portion.

The shank 3 of the tool terminates in a striking head or face 5, whichis by preference circular in shape and somewhat larger than theconnecting-shank uniting it with the socket. The outer face or edge ofthis headshankthat is, the face opposite the handle is inclined backwardto a slight degree. This will be better observed by comparing such facewith the line 00 as, which extends longitudinally through thehammer-body at right angles to a line y y extending through the handleand parallel therewith, the angle at which the face is inclined from theline m a; being seven degrees or thereabout. The outer face of theclaw-stem 4 is likewise inclined backward from the line a: 00 and toabout the same extent as is the outer face of the shank 3. At its outerend this stem l is provided with a forward ly-proj ectin g extension 6,which serves as a backing or support for a detachable piece of metal 7,which is brazed or otherwise secured to the inner face of the extension6, with its end projecting beyond the edge thereof. The extension 6 andthe piece 7 secured thereto, when properly shaped by grinding orotherwise and provided with the notch 8, form the tack or nail drawingclaw of the tool. This claw is wedge-shaped, and its outer face, whichis also the outer end of the stem 4:, is rounded transversely, as shownin Fig. 2, and inclines inward or toward the line 3 y.

The hammer-body is made of hard caststeel and the claw-piece 7 of finerazor-steel.

By extending the claw forward from the bod y of the hammer beyond allother portions thereof instead of backward, as is ordinarily done, it ispossible to readily reach and draw tacks and nails driven close to awall or baseboard or in a corner, and the long handle of the hammergives a great leverage upon the tack or nail, so that it is possiblewith asmall tool constructed according to my invention to draw nails ofa size much larger than has heretofore been possible.

By constructing the claw in the manner described great strength issecured, the extension 6, being an integral part of the body of thetool, insuring this, while the finelytempered steel working face or edgeformed by the piece 7 makes a claw which does not readily dull or breakoff along the edge.

The inclining inward of the outer face of the claw is necessary in orderthat the outer engaging edge of the claw may be raised when the handleis forced down, the heel of the claw resting upon the floor and actingas a fulcrum. By rounding this same face of the claw I am enabled toforce a portion of the edge of the claw under the head of aclosely-driven nail or tack, when it would be difficult or impossible todo so were this face flat. The nailor tack can then be started byrolling the hammer upon this rounded face until it is so far drawn outthat the notched portion of the claw may be made to engage therewith.

The reason for inclining the head-shank 3 and the claw-stein 4t backwardis to permit the use of the hammer close up to the wall or thebase-board without having that part which is not being used interferewith the use of the other part by striking against the wall orbaseboard.

This tool can be used not only as a tackhammer, but for a variety ofother purposes. The claw, being made of the finest steel and havinggreat strength by reason of its shape and attachment, can be used asascrew-driver for opening boxes, taking off window-strips, and for manyother purposes which will suggest themselves.

The hammer can be Very cheaply constructed, the body portion being castand only requiring that its surfaces be ground, so as to give it asmooth finished appearance, and the steel piece 7 attached to theextension and the claw properly shaped.

The several features of novelty which constitute my invention, and whichare hereinafter pointed out in the claims, have been described and shownas all embodied in a single tool, and such is the preferred form of myinvention; butit will be understood that each one of the novel featuresof the invention might be used upon a tool different from that shownandindependently of the other features.

WVhat I claim is- 1. A tool having a metal body portion and a tack ornail drawing claw consisting of a projection integral with the body ofthe tool and a piece of metal harder than the toolbody brazed to thesaid projection and extending beyond the Said projection and havingformed in its edge a tack or nail engaging notch, substantially as setforth.

2. A tack or nail drawing tool having a claw-supporting stem orshankinclining back- Wardthat is, toward the handle-from a line drawn atright angles to the length of the handle, and having a claw carried bysuch stem or shank projecting forwardthat is, away from the handleandhaving its outer faceinclinedinward,substantially as set forth.

3. A hammer consisting of a head-shank and a claw-stem extending inopposite directions from the handle-socket, the claw-stem being inclinedbackward and the claw proj ecting therefrom in a forward direction,substantially as set forth.

4. A hammer having the head-shank 3 inclined backward, the claw-stem 4,also inclined backward, and the forward-projecting claw carried by theclaw-stem, having a rounded outer face which inclines inward,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS C. RICHARDSON.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES I. FOWLER, AARON WILBUR.

